Alec Krueger - 2023 Edwin T. & Vivijeanne F. Sujack Award for Teaching Excellence – Master Teacher

Mr. Alec Krueger received his Master of Science in Pure Mathematics from Northern Illinois University in 2018 and joined Loyola University as an Instructor of Mathematics and Statistics in 2019. Since 2021 he has been a Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics. The Committee was impressed by his innovative use of active learning methods, his involvement in professional development workshops and seminars, and his efforts to dismantle a common stumbling block in introductory math courses.

Mr. Krueger's classes are built around Active Learning methods that combine short lectures followed by guided individual and small-group work. As students collaborate on problem-solving exercises, he circulates and interacts with them. He credits this practice for helping form personal connections with students, many of whom, in his words, "have had bad experiences in math courses in the past and can be too anxious to ask questions.

"A student nominator commented on this, referring to Mr. Krueger's classroom as a stress-free environment where it was easy ask questions: And when I do ask questions, I know that I will receive an actual answer and not have to just say that I understand something even when I don't... Professor Krueger not only has taught me about derivatives and integrals, but he has taught me how to make people feel understood and seen, a skill that I never thought I would learn from a math teacher.”

During his time at Loyola, Mr. Krueger has been a frequent participant in workshops and seminars offered by the Office of Online Learning and the Faculty Center for Ignation Pedagogy. This active reflection on his craft, and his willingness to incorporate feedback from students and colleagues, shows in his stellar course evaluations. He is also involved in Active Learning initiatives at the Department level, organizing a bi-weekly seminar on teaching methods, and supporting other faculty through the Friends of Collaborative and Active Learning group.

An aspect of Mr. Krueger's teaching that stood out to the Committee is the effort he puts into dealing with a pernicious stereotype. His nominator recalled the first day of Math 131, Loyola's introductory Calculus class, when Mr. Krueger showed the class a TED Talk dispelling the idea that one is either a "math person" or a "humanities person."

“Professor Krueger showed us this video to help us understand that we are all capable of learning this tough subject and that no one is inherently better at math than anyone else. This set the tone for the entire semester. No other math teacher that I have had has ever taken the time out of their lesson plans to make the students feel at ease in what can be a stressful environment.”

The ingrained stereotype of the "math person" is a significant obstacle for many students. Mr. Krueger addresses this myth head-on, empowering his students to fully engage with his course from day one.

The Sujack Award Committee is proud to acknowledge Mr. Alec Krueger's excellent teaching and commitment to his students, by naming him a 2023 Sujack Master Teacher.

Learn more about the Sujack Awards and the 2023 recipients